It is 14 years since Tony McCoy achieved the second of his two wins in the Topham Chase, Friday's race over the Grand National fences, but he has a great opportunity to end that barren run aboard Eastlake (3.40). Unlike the jockey's well-backed Grand National mount, Double Seven, this one has yet to fire the public's imagination and is available at 25-1 but he has the ability to make those odds look silly if taking to this place.

A winner over the conventional fences here in October, he has improved steadily and consistently for two seasons, winning five times from his last 10 starts. He is still not harshly treated by the handicapper, judged on his success at Cheltenham's December meeting, the last time that McCoy rode him, when he only had 6lb less to carry.

The issue is his stamina, since he has generally been kept to two miles during the period of his success. But, as a full brother to the World Hurdle winner More Of That, he should really be able to go a bit further and there have been signs of that in some of his races, notably when hewas a running-on sixth at the Cheltenham Festival.

As usual, this is a highly competitive affair but Double Ross is not an enticing favourite, for all his gameness and talent. The handicapper halted his winning run in January and he is 4lb higher still this time, plus he may be a specialist Cheltenham performer.

Eight of the past 10 winners of this race had had a previous run over the fences and, while that statistic may mean less now that the fences have soft centres, it draws the eye to Big Fella Thanks, who ran well in three Grand Nationals before blatantly failing to see out the trip on each occasion. He has dropped to a realistic mark and may still be able to make an impact at the age of 12.

2.00 Vautour was arguably the most impressive and exciting winner at last month's Cheltenham Festival, so it is perfectly reasonable for the horse that chased him home, Josses Hill, to be favourite for this in Vautour's absence. But it may be worth taking a chance on Sgt Reckless, who finished a length and a half further back in fourth but flew up the hill after some early mistakes left him with a lot to do. He is twice a winner at Kempton, suggesting that this similarly flat track may suit him better than Cheltenham. He probably would not relish a great deal of overnight rain, however.

2.30 Cheltenham form does not always translate to Aintree but it is hard to oppose the RSA Chase winner, O'Faolains Boy, in this company. He was a convincing winner against a good rival in Smad Place and the opposition here is led by Holywell, who is very dangerous in quality handicaps but does not entirely convince as a prospect for small-field Grade Ones. Another potential danger is Many Clouds, still travelling well when brought down in the RSA.

3.05 While there are some admirable types here, it is a poor-quality Grade One and perhaps Rathlin may be able to spring a surprise at 14-1. He hit a productive vein of form at around this time last year and should be better equipped to cope with this place than when fading into seventh in the Festival's Ryanair Chase. He is likely to race prominently and may not be easy to catch if the first half of the race falls kindly for him. The likely favourite is Module, who has already had five attempts in Graded company, achieving a single success, when outstaying a handful of rivals on desperate ground at Newbury.

4.15 A pleasing fourth to Faugheen at the Festival, Killala Quay will be unlucky to meet anything of that calibre here. A winner at this track last summer, he can be excused his January flop at Warwick on the grounds that heavy going did not suit. He is preferred to Seeyouatmidnight, who is unlikely to get the soft ground on which he has been performing so well, even if the forecast overnight rain does arrive.